Wolete Israel Seyoum

Wolete Israel Seyoum (1907–1989)[citation needed] was the daughter of Leul Ras Seyoum Mengesha, Prince of Tigray, KBE, and great-granddaughter of Emperor Yohannes IV of Ethiopia.

The marriage of Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen and Crown Princess Wolete Israel was part of Emperor Haile Selassie's efforts at forging closer bonds between the western Tigrean branch of the Imperial family and his own Shewan branch.

At the same time that Princess Wolete Israel married the Crown Prince, her cousin (and her father's rival for primacy in Tigray), Dejazmach Haile Selassie Gugsa of the eastern Tigrean branch of the Imperial dynasty was married to the Emperor's daughter Princess Zenebework.

It was hoped that these marriages would ensure closer bonds between the two rival princely houses of Tigray with the Emperor's family.

The Princess lived quietly in Addis Ababa and the town of Adama during the rule of the Derg.

Empress Menen Asfaw is in the centre and her daughter-in-law, Princess Wolete Israel Seyoum, is on the far right. The other standing women from left to right are Princess Tsehai , Princess Tenagnework and Princess Zenebework , daughters of Emperor Haile Selassie .